Dougal Haston - a tribute1 - Alpine Journal

Despite high life and hooligani m thi \\la a period of great activity when Haston
developed hi skills on the local rocks. became inured IQ willler hardship and
a coullted for mosl of the hard route prevailing in cOtland at that time. In this
respect he was not exceptional as Ihere were at least a dozen like him between the
CDMC and Edinburgh Clubs among whom very close a sociation developed,
albeil in friendly rivalry to make the most of the line routes available.
By early 1959 Dougal emerged as a mature climber of con iderable experien e
and ability with a number of fine new routes IQ hi credit and it seemed fitting he
hould then extend hi reference to the Ip.
As a pan of five, Ha IOn, Moriarry, McLean, Mar hall R and I welll 10 the
Dolomites. It eemed imponalll not 10 dis ipale their elllhusia m in Ihe traditional
graduation proce , 0 other than an introduction to the airy qualitie of the
Dolomites by a traverse of the Vajolet Towers it was straight on 10 the eslO
Grados.
Marmolada's outh pillar was the perfect illlroduction, the climbing was
superb, toasted by sunlight, dou ed in oaking chimneys and bombarded by icicle;
only to find the notorious chockstone pitch covered in ice; we would have managed
that all right but the ice was under a \\'aterfall! The retreat was epic, urprisingly
enjoyable and, dare I say it, effectively executed but they were all hattered,
exhausted and starved, 0 it wa back down 10 our woodland bower to recover.
As the only one of the lad stubborn enough to light phy ical distres the
following morning, Dougal joined me 10 retrieve a jammed rope from the pillar.
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